T.S.D.O.B: Day 3 - Creme De La Crepe Cafe'

Welcome back for more blogging fun! First off, if you are wondering what TSDOB stands for, it means Thirty Straight Days Of Blogging. I shortened it up because I'm lazy and don't feel like writing out that whole statement every time. Plus, it really extends the hell out of the title. Anyway, enough about the title. Lets get to the goods!

During a recent visit to Long Beach, CA, I realized something about myself that I knew was there, but never gave it too much thought. It wasn't until I walked the streets of the LBC that I finally had to say aloud what had been brewing for some time. After inhaling some of that sweet ocean air, I said "I don't like Orange County!"

In case you don't know, I live in Orange County, CA. I've been living here since '06. But, I've always felt, more or less, out of place here. When I went to Long Beach, I felt at ease there. It was like a line from the Blackstar song "Respiration", I could feel the city breathing. There was a vibe that I hadn't felt in sometime, and it was refreshing to the soul.

Now, to be fair, the city I'm living in now is very nice. A good place to start a family. Long Beach, on the other hand, can be down-right grimy in some areas. But, LB does have it's nice spots too.

I guess I'll just have to make my way out there more often. :)

Anyway, I was walking down a street and happened to stumble upon this place. Normally, crepe joints don't do a whole lot for me. I tend to find that a lot of crepe-themed eateries are simply overpriced for what you get. What drew me to this one was that they had escargot on their menu. That's right, SNAILS! So, I thought "Fuck it! This will be good for the blog, whether I like it or not!".

From the outside, the place didn't look that big. When I walked, I realized I was right. It wasn't that big. Of course, that has no effect on whether or not the food will be good.

 I liked the vibe, though. It was relaxed and didn't feel like I needed to get too dressed up to be there.

I saw the escargot on the menu and knew I was going to order that. I knew it wasn't going to fill me up, so I ordered a buckwheat crepe with ham, gruyere cheese, tomatoes, and topped with pesto.

First up: THE SNAILS!

Up to that point in my life, I had no recollection of trying escargot before. I had heard that between taste and texture, escargot was like a cross between mushrooms and oysters. With that thought, I was actually very interested in trying them.

I know these little guys were cooked in lots of butter and some herbs. They smelled good, and luckily, didn't resemble anything I've seen terrorizing gardens.

I didn't want to pussyfoot around this, so I just skewered one on my fork and popped it in my mouth. After a  few seconds of chewing, I swallowed it. The first thought that came to mind was "Why are people so afraid of this?!?!" Honestly, this was fucking delicious! No Bullshit! The texture is reminiscent of a thick chunk of mushroom. But it's flavor is...succulent. I'm sure all the butter helped, but the escargot had this wonderful, earthy flavor that really stood out.

This was easily one of those dishes you dread watching disappear as you devour it.

After polishing off the escargot and using every crumb of bread to get to that wonderful butter, it was time for the entree'.

 
The crepe itself was ok. The pesto was good, and the ham & cheese combination worked well. My only complaint was that I felt the crepe could have been a little hotter. It wasn't cold, but it seemed like it had been sitting for a minute or two longer than it should have before it got to me. And there was only two other tables seated at the time. Oh well, C'est la vie.

I forget how much the total bill was, but it wasn't enough to break the bank. If you ever find your way to the LBC, give this place a shot and DEMAND the escargot!

Creme De La Crepe Cafe'
400 E 1st St
Long Beach
(562) 437-2222

See you tomorrow!

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